SEVENTEEN-YEAR-OLD Davindra Bridgmohan was just six months old when he was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, and his mother, Indira, feared how her son would be treated by the world for being differently-abled, thankfully her worst fears were never realised.
Over the years what she discovered was a world of overwhelming support, love and kindness for Davindra, who was able to use this encouragement to complete his education just like any normal child. And just like any normal child, last May/June he sat the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examination. When the results came out earlier this month the Bridgemohan family, and the staff and students of the West Demerara Secondary School, and so many others celebrated Davindra’s success with passes in all 10 of his subjects, with four grade ones and six grade twos.

Today the aspiring civil engineer now hopes his story can inspire other children with disabilities to dream big, and feel normal. “Think normal and just do what you have to do, you’re just a normal child, be yourself, and try your best to do what you have to do,” he encourages. “I never come up against any challenges. I was just always treated like a normal child and it gives me the confidence to do the best and pushes me to do more because I never felt like I was different and I always tried my best.”

Davindra was all smiles as he tells his story, sitting next to his little brother, six-year-old year old Turundra. The eldest of three siblings, Davindra has set a great example for his siblings to follow. His 15- year-old sister, Hema, is already looking forward to following in his footsteps when her turn comes around. Davindra attained grade ones in English A, Principles of Business, Agricultural Science and Electronic Document and Preparation Management (EDPM), while his grade two’s were in Mathematics, Physics, Social Studies, Integrated Science, Industrial Technology and Technical Drawing.
Davindra was overwhelmed by the results.

“I was surprised, but I was very happy, because I was very nervous at first especially for the Math, it was very hard, the day I was writing the exam I came home with fever the entire night. But then I got a grade two and found out I passed,” Davindra shares.
Davindra may have been surprised by his results, but one person who the results definitely did not surprise is headmaster of the West Demerara Secondary School (West Dem), Mr. Harrinarine. “At the initial assembly for the 2018/2019 academic year I said this year let’s look out for Davindra he is going to do well,” Harrinarine recalls.

“What we are seeing here is the optimism that the school placed on Davindra, we saw something positive coming out of this special child, and this is what we have experienced. I always feel that a child that gets an opportunity to come to the West Demerara Secondary has the ability, and so we never doubted his ability to perform well.” Upon writing the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA), Davindra was originally awarded a place at the St Joseph High School, however, his parents chose to have him attend ‘West Dem’ which was closer to home. Harrinarine said that when Davindra first came to the school, he did not see his disability.

“When he came initially having looked at his Common Entrance results we felt that there is a lot if prospects in this child, so at all times we were looking out for Davindra to do well. I was very positive, I just put aside what I was seeing with him physically and say you know what we are going to make some good story out of Davindra and indeed we did,” the headteacher shared.

The school never experienced any issues with Davindra being bullied, or ill-treated by other students. Harrinarine said what he saw instead was Davindra fostering a culture of compassion among the students. “What I want to say about the children around him, and what Davindra did in the classroom, is to help his colleagues to develop patience and compassion. He was in a predominantly male class and he helped those boys to become more loving, more caring. I saw that sort of change within that classroom,” he said.
Over the year’s Indira, and Davindra’s dad, Yoganand have done the best they could to give their son the most normal life possible, which was why they took the decision to enroll him in normal public school as opposed to sending him to special school. Davindra’s mother shares that the acceptance he received at ‘West Dem’ was reminiscent of how welcoming persons have been to her son throughout his years at school.

“Yes I was afraid at first but when he started nursery school everyone was so nice to him. The headmistress the class teachers would take him, and treat him so nice so I begin to feel comfortable that he was in school and being loved by the teachers,” she related.
“The children stuck by him throughout his school days always willing to help. always want to do something for him and he passed through the years.”

Indira shares that she was somewhat discouraged when she originally got her son’s diagnosis, but she decided to be optimistic instead. “At six months old he wasn’t doing what he was supposed be doing as a six-month-old. I took him back to the doctor. I was frustrated, very, very frustrated. But then I always said there is hope, maybe the therapy would do something good for him and indeed when he did the therapy I begin to see improvement because he could’ve ride bicycle, he could’ve done so much things. Gradually as he got older and focus more on the study, then is when I noticed he couldn’t do many things that he could’ve do back then,” she said.

Cerebral palsy is a disorder that affects movement and muscle tone or posture. It’s caused by damage that occurs to the immature brain as it develops, most often before birth. People with cerebral palsy can have problems swallowing and commonly have eye muscle imbalance, they also might have reduced range of motion at various joints of their bodies due to muscle stiffness.

Some people show normal or near-normal intellectual capabilities. Davindra is able to walk with the use of a walker, and is capable of writing on his own. Davindra profusely showered praises on his teachers for putting in all the extra work necessary to enable him to make it as far as he has. Davindra’s next move is to now continue on the path of his dream to becoming a civil engineer by attending the University of Guyana (UG).